Chusetts



' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. A. LITTLEFIELD.

SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS.

Patented Jan. 8, 1889.

can

N, PETERS. Phmuihugnphm Washington. n. c

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

0. A. LITTLEFIELD.

SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS.

No. 395,841. Patented Jan. 8, 1889.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet '3.

.0. A. LITTLEFIELD.

vSHUTTLE GHEGK FOR LOOMS.

Patented Jan. .8, 1889.

N. 9ETERS- Phnlvmlngnpher. Waahiugtnn. D. (L

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

CHARLES A. LITTLEFIELD, OF FALL RIVER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO ELIAS A.TUTTLE AND JAMES T. MILNE, OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

SHUTTLE-CHECK FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 395,841, datedll'anuary 8, 1889.

Application filed October 29, 1837- To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LITTLE- FIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShuttle- Checks for Looms; and I do hereby declare the followin to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

It is well known to those skilled in the art of weaving that greatdifficulty is encountered when using soft fillin in retaining or holdingit upon the spindle of the shuttle when the loom is run at a high rateof speed, the reason being that a sudden stopping of the shuttle in itsflight from box to box causes the filling to throw or fly from thespindle. It is furthermore well known that the greatest power consumedby a loom is at its pickingpoint, or the point when the shuttle isthrown from the box.

The object of my invention is to absorb the blow of the shuttle whenentering the box, thereby preventing the breaking and stripping of thecop, and to enable the loom to run with a practically open box, the onlyspring necessary being such as is now used to control the dagger orprotecting-rod, thereby lessening the amount of force actually requiredfor the propulsion of the shuttle.

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1, Sheet 1, is a front view of a loomframe with my inventionattached thereto. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is an end view of aloom-frame with myinvention placed thereon. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a face view of my improvedshuttle-check. Fig. at, Sheet 3, is a rear view of the same. Fig. 5 is across-section on line sea; of Fig. 3, partly in elevation. V

In the several views like letters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the said drawings, A designates the loomframe; A A, the sidesthereof; E the laybeam; B, the lay-swords; B, the lay-cap; D thecam-shaft; I), the picking-cams or tappets thereon; D D, thepicking-bowls; D D the picking rock-shafts; d d, depen ding arms SerialNo. 253,707. (No model.)

on the said shafts; C 0, the picker-sticks, and (l d the picking-straps,all of which parts are or may be constructed and operated in the usualmanner.

In practice I shall, when necessary, employ a spring or springs toassist in moving the picker-sticks C C toward the outer extremities ofthe shuttle-boxes, as shown and described in my application for LettersPatent for improvement in parallel foot-motion shuttile-check andpower-saver, filed November 1, 1887, Serial No. 253,954

At each side of the loom I apply to the side frame, A, a stock, B,secured to the said side frame with capacity for adjustment toward andfrom the front of the loom by means of a bolt, Z), passing through aslot in the said stock, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.Through the lower end of the stock passes a stud, k, fastened in placeby a pin, m, extending through both stock and stud. Upon the stud, nextthe side of the stock B, is a metal washer, m, in contact with which isa washer, j, of cloth, leather, or other suitable friction-creatingmaterial.

Between the Washer j and a second one of similar character is placedupon the stud k a ratchet-wheel, K, which preferably is dished orrecessed on one side, as shown, to receive within the recess the washerj on that side; or it may be dished or recessed on both sides to receiveboth the washers jj. A nut, 4%,

turned on the threaded end of the bolt lo,

serves to compress together the washers and ratchet-wheel K. Upon areduced or turneddoun portion of the nut a is mounted to turn a lever,F, carrying a pawl, G, pivoted on a stud, g, carried by the said leverand held pressed into engagement with the teeth of the wheel K by meansof a spring, F.

The lower end of the lever F has connected to it by a link, 71, acollar, H, preferably made open 011 one side, as shown in Fig. 5, toadapt it for ready application to the arms 01 d of the rock-shaft D Thesaid collar is applied to the said arm at a proper and convenientdistance from the shaft 1) and clamped thereon by the screw H.

The proportions and connections of the various parts are to be such inpractice that during each imvard movement oi? the arm d or (t andpicker-stick (l or t) the pawl (i will move bacluvard over the wheel iia distance more than one tooth, but not quite t'ar enough to pass andengage with the end ot' the following tooth.

In practice I have found it most (i-onvenient to cause the pawl (l dtiring the inward movement of the arm and the picket-stick to movebackward over the wheel K a distance equal approximately to one andthree-fourths tooth. In operation, after the throw of the shuttle, thepicker-stick will be arrested in its movement toward the outwardextremity of the shuttle-box by the engagement; of the pawl with a toothof the ratchet-wheel, and will be held therelJy at a short distance fromthe end of the box. After the shuttlehas entered the box at the end ofits flight from the box on the opposite side ot' the loom, it willstrike against the picker and carry the latter and the upper end of thepicker-stick outward with it. The rctaidation ot the rotation of theratchet-wheel occasioned by the frictioncreating devices, however, willcause the st iek to resist the advance of the shuttle, and thus bring,the latter to a state of rest without undue shock. lily the meansdescribed I arrestthe outward movement of the picker-stick before thelatter has entirely reached the out-er limit of such movement and holdit ina yielding manner, so as to cause it to receive the shuttle in itsflight across the loom from the box on the opposite side and graduallycheek and destroy its movement. This enables me to dispense with thegreat pressure ordinarily applied to the sides of the shuttle to checkits momentum as its enters the shuttle-box and prevents the stripping ofthe cop frequently occasioned by the sudden arrest of the shuttle at theend oi its tiight across the loom.

The reduction in the pressure applied to the shuttle in the box enablesthe shuttle to be thrown with a much less expenditure of power, andrenders unnecessary the enu'iloyment of the relief mechanism heretoforede- I picker-stick, the picker-stick being thereby stopped in theoutward movement and held at a slight distance from the extreme end oithe said movement and in position to receive the shuttle and. cheek itin, its flight from the opposite box, since such combination forms thesubject oi? claims in my other application hereinbelore mentioned.

The shuttleanotion which I have illustrated in the accmnpanying drawingsis a common form in very extensive use. I have shown the same merely forthe sakeoij' convenience. Itis to be understood that in place oi? being,applied to the arms (I (l the collars ll may be applied to anyequivalent arms or levers forming part oi any other usual or suitableshuttle-1notion, due care being exercised to properly adjust theconnections so as to secure the proper operation of the cluackingdevices.

The general cllarzu-ter oi the shuttle-motion in connection with whichthe checking devices are employed is immaterial so long as theshuttle-motion is provided with the arms (I d ortheir equivalent. Uponthe stud it, outside the nut II, is turned a nut, a, the same servingnot only as a check-nut for the nut 11, but as a means of holding thelever F in place upon the reduced portion of the nut 12.

Having describml my invention and the best means with which I amaetmainted for red ucing' the same to practice, I claim as oi? myii'ivention and desire to seeureljiy Letters Pa to i l t I]. Thecombination,with a vibrating arm or lever ot a sliuttle-motion and thepickerstick coi'lneeted thereto, ot' the lever F, conneeted. to the said'vibrat ing arm or lever, the pawl G, the wheel K, and devices foririctionally retarding the rotation oi? the said. wheel, the combinationbei ng constructed and operati ng substantially as described, andserving to arrest the picker-stick in its outward movement lm't'o're itreaches the extreme ot' the said movement and hold it there in positionto arrest the flight of the shuttle.

The ('(nnbination, with a vibrating arm or lever ot' a slutttlc-inotionand the pickerstick connected thereto, oi the lever F, the link 71, thecollar ll, means for adjustably se curing said collar upon the said armor lever ot' the shuttle-motion, the pawl G, the wheel K, and devicesfor trietionally retarding the rotation oi the said wheel, thecombination being constructed and operating suliistantiall y asdescribtal, and serving to arrest the pickerstick in its outwardmovement before it reaches the extreme of the said movement and hold itthere in position to arrest the flight ot' the shuttle.

3. The cmnbjii'lation, with a vibratory arm or lever of a shuttle-motionand. the picker-stick co n n ccted thereto, 0 t? the collar 1 I, the setscrew II, the link 71-, the lever 1 the pawl G, the wheel K, and devicesfor itrictionally retarding the rotation of the said wheel, theeombination beingconstructed and OPGl'thll'lg substantiall y asdescribed, and serving to arrest the picker-stick in, its outward.movement hefore it reaches the extreme oi? the said move ment and holdit there in position to arrest the iii ght ot' the shuttle.

4-. The combimttion, with the wheel K and devices for trietionallyretardin the rotation oi the said wheel, of the pawl G, the lever F,

the link 72, thecollar II, and means for clamp ing the said collar inplace upon a vibrating by the nut n, and the pawl G, all substan- 1o armor lever of a shuttle-motion, all being as tially as described.

and for the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in 5. The combination, with the stock B and presence of twowitnesses. v l Y 5 stud it, of the w ashe1 m the f1lCtlOllashels CHARLESA LITTLEFIELD jj, the wheel K, the nut 02, having a reduced exteriorportion, as described, the check-nut \Vitnesses:

" n, the lever F, mounted upon the reduced L. V. HOWES,

portion of nut n and held in place laterally LOUISE E. RAMSEYER.

